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0. H. SHUTTLEWORTH.

OAR COUPLING No. 448,304. Patented Mar. 17,1891.

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Ilrvrrno STATES PATET much.

CHARLES H. SHUTTLEWORTH, CORUN NA, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I-IALF TOFRANK F. HOYER, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,304, dated March17, 1891.

Application filed July 11, 1890- Serial No. 358,365. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. SHUTTLE- WORTH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Corunna, county of Shiawassee, State of Michigan,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplers; andI declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the under side of a car,illustrating my coupler r5 and draw-head. Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section illustrating the construction. Fig. 4: is adetail View of the drawhead. Fig.5 is a detail view of one form of thecoupling-pin. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of another form. Fig. 7 is across-section of the latter.

In carrying out the invention, A represents the bodyof the car, and Bthe draw-head.

I will first describe the construction of the coupler. The end of thedraw-head is slotted vertically, as shown at b, and in this verticalslot is pivoted the link or coupler 0. Because of the draw-heads beingslotted entirely through thelink when not in use can drop down out ofthe way, as shown at C, Fig. 3. These links or couplers O O are providedwith a cross-piece c on the end, thus forming a T- end. The uppersurface of each draw-head is shaped, as shown in Fig. 3, with lugs orprojections I) having their inner faces slightly recessed, whereby thecross-piece on the ad j acent coupler can engage behind the lugs orprojections, and thus couple the two cars firmly together.

It will be observed in Fig. 2 that the link orcoupleris thrown up. Whenso thrown up and the two draw-heads come together, the backward movementor yielding of the drawhead drops the links and it engages with theadjacent draw-head before the two can separate, thus making an automaticcoupler. So, also, by this construction, as will be observed in Fig. 3,should the cars be of unequal height the coupler will still beoperative, because of the vertical slot-that is, the link or couplerwill engage the adjacent draw-head, no matter whether'the latter isabove or below the level of the draw-head in which the link or coupleris pivoted. In order that the link may be raised without the necessityof goin between the cars, I provide the crank-shaft or lever D, havingthe arms cl adjacent to the edge of the car. The shaft or pivot of thelink also has a cranlcarm cengaged to the crank portion (Z of thecrank-shaft by the chain (Z Now by throwing up the arms of thecrankshaft the link is raised and rod D, extending to the top of thecar, is also engaged to the crank portion (1, whereby the link may beraised from the top of the car.

In order that the ordinary link-and-pin coupler may be used where a carprovided with my coupler must be coupled with an oldstyle car, I providethe draw-head with a horizontal opening b whereby the ordinary link maybe inserted, and I groove both sides of the vertical slot, as shown atbwhereby a pin may be inserted into the link. This pin is of a peculiarshape, being formed with a T shape at both ends, as illustrated in Fig.5. Now, as will be seen, byinserting the link into the vertical slot,and then passing the pin down through the grooves Z7 until the lower endof the pin has passed out of the slot, the' pin can be drawn forwardwith the upper end resting on the top of the draw-head, and the couplerthus locked firmly together until the pin has been drawn back to thegrooves, when it may beremoved; or, if desired, the pin may be shaped asshown in Figs. 6 and 7, .and in that case the pin would rest in thegrooves all the time. This latter form of pin makes an 7 exceedinglystrong one, since the flanges extending in the four directions braceeach other and reduce the liability of breakage to a minimum.

I will now describe the construction of the draw-head. The draw-head isprovided with a slot or opening E, and a shaft or spindle F extendslengthwise thereof. Engaged to the 5 framework of the car isacross-piece G, having the block g, which fits into the slot or opening Eof the draw-head, the shaft or spindle F passing through an opening g insaid block and playing freely therein. A spiral Inc spring H embracesthe shaft F, one end bearing against the draw-head, while the otherbears against the block thus keeping the draw-head in its outer oradvanced position, except when pressure is brought to bear upon theouter end, when it will yield slightly against the spring, but will bereturned as soon as the pressure is removed. It will thus be observedthat the entire pressure of the load is brought upon the cross-piece G,and as this can be firmly engaged and made a part of the frame-work thedraw-head can be made extremely strong and substantial, and yet willyield easily to a shock incident to cars coming together.

Among the many advantages of this style of coupler and draw-head arethat the link can be easily raised Without the necessity of goingbetween the cars, that two cars of unequal height maybe readily coupledtogether by either link, that a car provided with my coupler can beengaged to the ordinary linkand-pin coupler, that the draw-head Willeasily give when sudden pressure is brought to bear on its end, and thatwhen not in use either of the links may be dropped down out of the Waybecause of the vertical slot through the draw-head.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a car coupler, the combination, with avertically-slotted draw-head, a link pivoted therein having at its end across-bar, and projections on the draw-head for engagement with the linkof the adjacent car, of a crankarm a, crank-shaft D, provided with crank61', said crank d and crank-arm csuitably connected with each other, andmeans connected With the crank 01' for operating the coupler from thetop of the car, substantially as described. 2. In a car-coupler, adraw-head provided with a vertical slot, a link pivot-ed therein, andlink-engaging projections on the upper surface of the draw-head, saiddraw-head also having a horizontal groove for the reception of anordinarylink and a vertical slot for the reception of an ordinary pin,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES H. SHUlTLEWORTH. Witnesses:

A. L. CHANDLER, J. F. LINDSEY.

